I have to build a new mapping application and replace an existing one. We are looking at three possible options: MapQuest, Microsoft's Virtual Earth, and Google Maps. The first two companies were easy to contact and get pricing, but I never realized just how horrible Google's support is until I attempted to get actual commercial pricing numbers from them.
First, the information for businesses is not on their website. I need hard numbers for a Fortune 500 company, not some sample HTML code for a personal web site. I need to talk to the person in sales who negotiates and manages these big contracts. Nowhere on the web site is there information on who to talk to. There is an online email form to fill out and hope they contact you...but after three weeks of trying that and no response, the executives wanted hard numbers and I didn't blame them. I figured I would just get on the horn and speak to someone in sales. No luck. No numbers on the web, no listing for business contacts. I finally found a general number and then was routed through numerous voice prompts which sounded promising but all ended in 'visit the website'. What a joke. Why even have multiple options for customer support, web support and sales when all it does is tell you to visit the website? Couldn't they have just told you that before you waded through the phone menu?
Finally I got through to the operator who told me all the information is 'on the website'. When I pointed out that I've been trying to get someone to contact me and that I needed to speak to someone about commercial usage, she told me to fill out the online contact form. Which I had already done, previously. To this, she simply told me to 'fill it out again'.
So basically, I have a big blank check in my hand and no one at Google even wants to talk to me. It's like dealing with a company managed by high school kids. Domino's Pizza gives better customer service. Heck, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Sun and Oracle all have actual people to talk to. I think I need to sell my Google stock. No company run this poorly with applications that are just basic technology can be a wise investment, can it?